PV Gap

Shawn Said:

How do I seal a leak in a solar powered water hose to the swimming pool? It's a pin-sized hole. Tried tape.

We Answered:

I'm a "pool guy". 115 bucks, isn't all that bad a price, actually, if they are installing a new section and not just repairing the old. If you still decide to go it yourself here's some tips.
The solar system will be an Enersol. Using glue or tape won't work. How to fix this, will depend where on the section, the hole is.Remember to switch off the filter pump and open the drain plugs that should have been installed at the lowest point of the solar array before starting and to re-teflon tape the pugs and insert them when you are done.
If it's locateed within 2 inches or so of the header( black ABS tube approx 1 foot long, joined in sections to make up the upper or lower manifolds) you can slice off all the tubes on that section ( approx 6 inches wide) at the hole and re attach to the header after removing what's left (that has the hole in it) still attached to the header. Use a non petroleum based lubricant on the header nipples to make putting the solar section back on easier. Be careful in this, as those little abs nipples can be broken easily if manhandled. If that occurs, you will be looking at a more extensive repair, involving removing the roofing straps and individual header sections to swap out that particular section and the O rings (you'll need a special tool for this) making it pretty well your pool pro's job to do as you will likely disturb the O rings in the adjoining sections, creating more leaks in the process.
If the hole is located farther than 2 inches or so away from the header, you can try slicing the tube across the hole and inserting a short tube that matches the inside diameter, but I cannot garantee success, as I've never gone that route. It's too much of what I would call a "stop gap" measure. Fine in a pinch, but not permanent.
In that case I would be swapping out the entire length (1/3 of the header only, as 3 sections make up one header) from top to bottom. I would do that type of repair in a case such as this, because I always had a spare roll on my service truck and it made more sense to start anew, with a known good piece of material than repair something that might pop a hole 5 inches away from the original hole the following season. I hate heights so the less I had to get on a roof the better.
If you intend on replacing that entire section of mat ( not the entire header width of approx 1 ft), and just that 1/3 piece, contact Enersol for a reputable dealer in the area and have them order you a section.
The repair itself is not particularly difficult, it just takes patience and great care and if you goof, you'll probably be thinking 150 bucks ( including material) isn't a bad deal at all. Good luck
Edit to Mike M and Grandma 2004. Hose clamps are not gonna work, you guys have no idea what the solar panel looks like. He'd have to slice down the panel and he wouldn't find a clamp that would be small enough to fit. Better off trying a ny tie.